The City of Hope community will honor the achievements and contributions of nurses today as the institution kicks off its celebration of National Nurses Week.
This year’s event, the 33rd annual National Nurses Week, is observed from May 6 — also known as National Nurses Day — through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. The national theme is “Nursing: A Profession and a Passion.”
“City of Hope appreciates the expertise and commitment of our nursing staff,” said Anne Bourque, R.N., clinical nursing director of hematology/hematopoietic cell transplantation and director advisor of City of Hope’s Nursing Recruitment & Retention Council. “To honor and thank our nurses for their never-ending commitment to excellence and their outstanding performance, we have planned many special events during the week.”
Larry Kidd, R.N., vice president of patient care services and chief nurse executive, said the week serves as a visible reminder of nurses’ dedication.
“Our nurses here at City of Hope are indeed remarkable,” Kidd said. “We hear from patients, families and colleagues throughout the year about the many contributions that nurses make in serving and caring for those who come to our Medical Center and entrust us with their care. I hope that during this time of Nurses Week, our nurses are able to take a moment and enjoy the many activities planned in their honor, as it is well-deserved.
“I know that the entire City of Hope community joins me in extending a sincere thanks to all of our nurses for their hard work and dedication, and for truly making a difference.”
Events will include presentations by Kidd and Alexandra Levine, M.D., chief medical officer at City of Hope. Additionally, the Nursing Department will launch its intranet Web site, creating a
Communication center for nurses about events, recognitions and quality measures.
The first issue of the Nursing Department’s newsletter, “The City Nurse,” also will be available on campus. Finally, nursing leaders will hold a raffle for all nurses in units with 100 percent participation during the recent staff nurse satisfaction survey. The winner receives paid tuition to a three-day pain resource nurse training course to be held at City of Hope in September.
The quest for an official nationwide proclamation recognizing nurses first began in 1953; efforts finally succeeded in 1974, when President Richard M. Nixon proclaimed the first “National Nurse Week.”
